Grinding apparatus for a substrate

ABSTRACT

A substrate grinding apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a grinding wheel grinding an object substrate, a nozzle unit spraying cooling water to the object substrate and the grinding wheel in a plurality of directions, and a cooling water controller connected to the nozzle unit and controlling spray speed and pressure of the cooling water, in which the nozzle unit includes a cleansing nozzle cleansing the grinding wheel, a cooling nozzle cooling the grinding wheel, and a surface protecting nozzle cooling the object substrate.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2012-0111799 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Oct. 9, 2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a grinding apparatus for a substrate.

DISCUSSION OF THE RELATED ART

Flat panel displays, such as liquid crystal displays, organic light emitting devices, or the like, include a display panel. A substrate of the display panel may be divided into a plurality of individual cells by a cutting process.

A cut portion of each individual cell is sharp, and may be subjected to a grinding process.

In the substrate grinding process, the substrate is ground by using a grinding wheel, and is cooled and cleansed by spraying cooling water through one nozzle.

SUMMARY

A substrate grinding apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a grinding wheel configured to grind an object substrate, a nozzle unit configured to spray cooling water to the object substrate and the grinding wheel in a plurality of directions, and a cooling water controller connected to the nozzle unit and configured to control a spray speed and a pressure of the cooling water, in which the nozzle unit includes a cleansing nozzle configured to cleanse the grinding wheel, a cooling nozzle configured to cool the grinding wheel, and a surface protecting nozzle configured to cool the object substrate.

The cleansing nozzle may spray the cooling water to the grinding wheel after the grinding wheel and the object substrate contact each other.

The cleansing nozzle may include a two-fluid nozzle.

The cooling nozzle may spray the cooling water to the grinding wheel before the grinding wheel and the object substrate contact each other.

The surface protecting nozzle may spray the cooling water to the grinding wheel and the object substrate.

The substrate grinding apparatus may further include a rotating unit connected to the nozzle unit and changing a cooling water spray direction of the nozzle unit, and a numerical value controller connected to the rotating unit and controlling the rotating unit.

The rotating unit may include a power transmission apparatus, a rotation shaft rotating the power transmission apparatus, and a rotary joint connected to the power transmission apparatus.

A supply flow path of the cooling water may be formed at an outer ring of the rotary joint.

The nozzle unit may include a first nozzle controller connected to the surface protecting nozzle, and a second nozzle controller connected to the cooling nozzle and the cleansing nozzle.

The first nozzle controller and the second nozzle controller may be connected to an outer ring of the rotary joint.

The first nozzle controller and the second nozzle controller may be moved up and down and may be rotated left and right.

The substrate grinding apparatus may further include an air layer removal film positioned near the grinding wheel and removing an air boundary layer.

A grinding apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a grinding unit configured to grind an object, a rotating unit connected to the grinding unit and configured to rotate the grinding unit, and a nozzle unit configured to spray a cooling material to the grinding unit or object in a plurality of directions.

The nozzle unit may include a first nozzle configured to spray the cooling material in a first direction and a second nozzle configured to spray the cooling material in a second direction different from the first direction.

The nozzle unit may include a third nozzle configured to spray the cooling material in a third direction different from the first and second directions.

The grinding apparatus may further include a cooling water controller connected to the nozzle unit and configured to control a speed and a pressure of the sprayed cooling material.

The nozzle unit may be connected to an outer ring of the rotating unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a substrate grinding apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view illustrating a nozzle unit and a grinding unit of the substrate grinding apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating grinding a substrate by using the substrate grinding apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating grinding a substrate by using a substrate grinding apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will be hereinafter described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “on,” “connected to” or “coupled to” another element, it can be directly on, connected to or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. Like reference numerals may designate like or similar elements throughout the specification and the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a substrate grinding apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a nozzle unit and a grinding unit of the substrate grinding apparatus of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a view illustrating grinding a substrate by using the substrate grinding apparatus of FIG. 1.

A structure of a substrate grinding apparatus shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 is provided as an example, and the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto. Accordingly, the substrate grinding apparatus may have different structures.

Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, a substrate grinding apparatus according to an present exemplary embodiment includes a grinding unit 100 for grinding an object substrate 10, a nozzle unit 200 for spraying cooling water in a plurality of directions, a cooling water controller 300 for controlling spray speed and pressure of the cooling water, a rotating unit 400 for rotating a cooling water spray direction of the nozzle unit 200 to be suitable for the object substrate 10, and a numerical value controller 500 for controlling the rotating unit 400. As an example, cooling water is used herein, but the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto. Other types of cooling materials, such as a cooling oil, may be also used according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The grinding unit 100 includes a grinding wheel 110 that rotates at high speed and grinds the object substrate 10 and a driving shaft 120 that rotates the grinding wheel 110. The grinding wheel 110 is moved along a grind surface of the object substrate 10 while being rotated.

The nozzle unit 200 includes a surface protecting nozzle 210, a cooling nozzle 220, and a cleansing nozzle 230.

The cleansing nozzle 230 cleanses the grinding wheel 110. For example, the cleansing nozzle 230 sprays cooling water to the grinding wheel 110, e.g., after the grinding wheel 110 and the object substrate 10 are brought in contact with each other, and removes sludge left on the surface of the grinding wheel 110 after grinding and removes an air boundary layer generated near the grinding wheel 110 when grinding the object substrate 10.

The cleansing nozzle 230 may be, e.g., a two-fluid nozzle. The two-fluid nozzle atomizes and sprays a liquid by using a pressure difference generated by the high-speed flow of the compressed air. By applying the two-fluid nozzle to the cleansing nozzle 230, the pressure of the sprayed cooling water is increased, and the amount of the cooling water used is reduced. Thus, the sludge left on the surface of the grinding wheel 110 may be removed. Also, the cleansing performance may be increased through cavitation.

The cooling nozzle 220 sprays the cooling water to the grinding wheel 110 before the grinding wheel 110 contacts the object substrate 10 when grinding the object substrate 10, and may thus cool a relatively wide area and may facilitate air discharge. Thus, heat buildup may be reduced.

The surface protecting nozzle 210 sprays the cooling water to the grinding wheel 110 and the object substrate 10 to cool the object substrate 10 while protecting the surface of the object substrate 10 from the rotation of the grinding wheel 110, the cooling water spray, and the sludge transited to the grinding unit 100.

The nozzle unit 200 includes a first nozzle controller 240 connected to the surface protecting nozzle 210 and a second nozzle controller 250 connected to the cooling nozzle 220 and the cleansing nozzle 230.

The first nozzle controller 240 is moved up and down and is rotated left and right to control the height and the direction of the cooling water spray of the surface protecting nozzle 210. The second nozzle controller 250 is also moved up and down and is rotated left and right to control the height and the direction of the cooling water spray of the of the cooling nozzle 220 and the cleansing nozzle 230.

The cooling water controller 300 is connected to the nozzle unit 200 and controls the spray speed and the pressure of the cooling water sprayed from the surface protecting nozzle 210, the cooling nozzle 220, and the cleansing nozzle 230.

The rotating unit 400 includes a power transmission apparatus 410, such as a gear or a belt, a rotation shaft 420 for rotating the power transmission apparatus 410, and a rotary joint 430 for preventing the fluid flow from being changed during the rotation.

The power transmission apparatus 410 and the rotary joint 430 are connected to each other, and the rotary joint 430 is thus rotated by the rotation of the rotation shaft 420.

The first and second nozzle controllers 240 and 250 are connected to an outer ring of the rotary joint 430. A flow path for supplying the cooling water to the surface protecting nozzle 210, the cooling nozzle 220, and the cleansing nozzle 230 is positioned not at an inner path of the rotary joint 430 but at the outer ring of the rotary joint 430, and the cooling water is supplied to each of the nozzles 210, 220, and 230 through the first and second nozzle controllers 240 and 250. Accordingly, the rotary joint 430 need not be connected to a motor that rotates at high speed.

The numerical value controller 500 is connected to the rotating unit 400 and controls the rotation of the rotation shaft 420.

When grinding the object substrate 10 by using the substrate grinding apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment, a direction in which the object substrate 10 contacts the grinding wheel 110 may be changed. In this case, the numerical value controller 500 controls the rotation of the rotation shaft 420 to rotate the rotary joint 430, and thus the cooling water spray direction is changed, and the surface protecting nozzle 210, the cooling nozzle 220, and the cleansing nozzle 230 may perform their respective functions.

As described above, by using a plurality of nozzles, for example, the surface protecting nozzle 210, the cooling nozzle 220, and the cleansing nozzle 230, the cooling water is sprayed in a plurality of directions, and thus, the grinding efficiency may be increased and the lifetime of the grinding wheel 110 may be increased.

FIG. 4 is a view showing grinding a substrate by a substrate grinding apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the substrate grinding apparatus is the same or substantially the same as the substrate grinding apparatus shown in FIG. 1 except that the substrate grinding apparatus shown in FIG. 4 includes an air layer removal film 270.

The substrate grinding apparatus includes the air layer removal film 270 near the grinding wheel 110.

The air layer removal film 270 removes an air boundary layer formed near the grinding wheel 110 that rotates at a high speed and decreases the pressure gradient, thus resulting in an increase in the inflow performance of the cooling water.

While exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments, and various modifications and variations may be made to the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A substrate grinding apparatus comprising: a grinding wheel configured to grind an object substrate; a nozzle unit configured to spray cooling water to the object substrate and the grinding wheel in a plurality of directions; and a cooling water controller connected to the nozzle unit and configured to control a spray speed and a pressure of the cooling water, wherein the nozzle unit includes, a cleansing nozzle configured to cleanse the grinding wheel, a cooling nozzle configured to cool the grinding wheel, and a surface protecting nozzle configured to cool the object substrate.
 2. The substrate grinding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cleansing nozzle is configured to spray the cooling water to the grinding wheel after the grinding wheel and the object substrate contact each other.
 3. The substrate grinding apparatus of claim 2, wherein the cleansing nozzle includes a two-fluid nozzle.
 4. The substrate grinding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cooling nozzle is configured to spray the cooling water to the grinding wheel before the grinding wheel and the object substrate contact each other.
 5. The substrate grinding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the surface protecting nozzle is configured to spray the cooling water to the grinding wheel and the object substrate.
 6. The substrate grinding apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a rotating unit connected to the nozzle unit and configured to change a cooling water spray direction of the nozzle unit; and a numerical value controller connected to the rotating unit and configured to control the rotating unit.
 7. The substrate grinding apparatus of claim 6, wherein the rotating unit includes: a power transmission apparatus; a rotation shaft configured to rotate the power transmission apparatus; and a rotary joint connected to the power transmission apparatus.
 8. The substrate grinding apparatus of claim 7, wherein a supply flow path of the cooling water is formed at an outer ring of the rotary joint.
 9. The substrate grinding apparatus of claim 8, wherein the nozzle unit includes: a first nozzle controller connected to the surface protecting nozzle; and a second nozzle controller connected to the cooling nozzle and the cleansing nozzle.
 10. The substrate grinding apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first nozzle controller and the second nozzle controller are connected to an outer ring of the rotary joint.
 11. The substrate grinding apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first nozzle controller and the second nozzle controller are moved up and down and rotated left and right.
 12. The substrate grinding apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an air layer removal film positioned near the grinding wheel and configured to remove an air boundary layer.
 13. A grinding apparatus comprising: a grinding unit configured to grind an object; a rotating unit connected to the grinding unit and configured to rotate the grinding unit; and a nozzle unit configured to spray a cooling material to the grinding unit or object in a plurality of directions.
 14. The grinding apparatus of claim 13, wherein the nozzle unit includes a first nozzle configured to spray the cooling material in a first direction and a second nozzle configured to spray the cooling material in a second direction different from the first direction.
 15. The grinding apparatus of claim 14, wherein the nozzle unit includes a third nozzle configured to spray the cooling material in a third direction different from the first and second directions.
 16. The grinding apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a cooling water controller connected to the nozzle unit and configured to control a speed and a pressure of the sprayed cooling material.
 17. The grinding apparatus of claim 13, wherein the nozzle unit is connected to an outer ring of the rotating unit. 